March 2018 Progress Update

Since our last Progress Update, Bharat Biotech’s oral ROTAVAC vaccine received prequalification. This is tremendous news, especially since Bharat has made the vaccine, now used in nine Indian states, available at US$1/dose for low-income countries.

We’ve also just seen evidence published in the New England Journal of Medicine by Council member Julie Bines and her team that a new vaccine product, RV3-BB, was highly effective against severe rotavirus gastroenteritis when given to newborns in Indonesia.

Finally, Afghanistan started a national rotavirus vaccine introduction in January, wonderful news for a country with one of the highest rotavirus mortality rates in Asia.

I invite you to read below for more updates. Please also let me know if you’d ever like to suggest research or news for this bulletin.